Richard Adams

Work History

Sep 2004 - Present

Director and Founder

In 2004 Richard identified a market need for a wireless telemetry product within the gaming/gambling sector in the UK and Europe. Using decades of software, firmware and hardware design experience, he designed and developed the Site Guardian product and within 6 months was in a position to sell the system to the market. Combiining Bluetooth, GPRS and internet development with a compact and cost effective design Richard produced a ground-breaking telemetry system perfect for the market.

After developing a sales and marketing strategy and business model to produce maximum return and benefit for a start-up organisation, the product was introduced to the market and sold well. By managing costs, supply and demand, Richard was able to grow and develop a successful start up business selling '000s of units into the market.

As demand grew and the business had plans to move into other sectors, such as vending, investment was needed and so the company was positioned for a trade-sale. After a successful pitch on the BBC show "Dragons Den" in 2006 to generate £200k of investment (the largest company valuation ever on the show at that time) the company was then successsfully approached by two major players in the industry and the "Dragons Den" money was declined.

Coin Metrics was acquired by Brulines Plc in 2007 and was successfully integrated into the core business with Richard still responsible for product design and business development. The business model then successfully transitioned from a typical capital purchase model to a recurring revenue model. Having now sold over 15,000 units in the UK, Coin Metrics is now completely integrated into the Brulines business.

Feb 2001 - Sep 2004

Managing Director

Wireless Futures

Richard conceived and established Wireless Futures as a vehicle to provide high quality development and test services to the Bluetooth and Mobile Communications market. Working with many mobile handset manufacturers (Nokia, Sony, Alcatel, Symbian) and technology innovation companies in the mobile arena, Wireless Futures gained an excellent reputation for quality services and project management.

Richard developed a range of customer products including Bluetooth devices for consumer and industrial markets, an EMS/MMS client, security devices, GSM protocol stacks and a mobile handset WAP browser.

In 2002 Richard saw the need for a generic Bluetooth product to act as an intelligent cable replacement in the industrial and healthcare markets. To this end, the BlueWAVE product was designed, developed and launched and sold well largely through direct internet marketing and through distribution channels.

The product sold well for over 2 years and only when low cost South East Asian products hit the market did the sales diminish. At this time Richard saw the potential for a product derivitive in the UK gaming sector to monitor and control slot machines and vending machines. Coin Metrics Ltd was established to trade in this niche market as sales in BlueWAVE continued for a few years.

Jan 2000 - Feb 2001

Technical Director

Concept Design Ltd

Richard was headhunted from Psion Plc to start-up a new software development and mobile test company. He developed the business from early planning stages to a development team of over 30 development engineers working throughout Europe.

Responsible for the company staffing requirements and recruitment, business structure, project and programme management and internal development and test processes, Richard lead his management team to produce a highly effective workforce generating a turnover of over £1m within the first year.

With customers inclusing Sony Ericsson, Nokia, Symbian and more the company became a respected leader in GSM handset software development and product testing.

Jan 1998 - Jan 2000

Software Development Manager

At Psion, Richard was responsible for all aspects of software development from design through to manufacture with over 80,000 GSM modem products being manufactured per month. The product range included GSM modems, network interface cards, and ISDN products. Additionally the position was responsible for all aspects of product QA including a strict testing regime with a team of 8 testers and ensuring that manufacturing QA met the required levels.

Richard recruited and managed a team of over 12 software development engineers based across two teams in the UK and Canada. He was responsible for all aspects of the teams development and management. Working closely with the project management team he managed the resource allocation for over 20 projects running within the business.

Richard had direct contact with major customers such as Dell, to ensure that the product design met their current and future requirments, such as high quality and Microsoft certification.

Richard succesfully led and motivated the team members through rapid growth as well as downsizing during his employment at Psion and as a result has had numerous employees from Psion follow him onto other businesses.

Mar 1993 - Jan 1998

Consultant

Eden Software Consultants

Richard worked as a consultant for numerous companies developing products ranging from GSM handset design, High Definition broadcasting systems to cashless payment systems. Throughout Richard placed an emphasis on providing a high level of service and a very high quality of product design and development. All customers for whom he has worked have praised Richard's worth ethic, communication skills and design/development ability. A summary of products are below.

Summary

A highly motivated and driven senior executive with a wealth of experience managing all areas of a business, from new product design and introduction through to sales and account management. Proven success in developing startup businesses through investment routes and on to trade sale and then integrating the business into the acquiring companies.

Successful when working in a team or individually, Richard has the focus and drive to deliver any project. Using co-operative and motivational management techniques he has rapidly grown and developed teams in all business areas.

A true visionary, Richard has the rare ability to perceive a market need, design a product to meet that need, build a successful company around that product and deliver that product and associated services to the market in a cost effective and timely manner.

Richard has a mix of indepth technical and operational knowledge and experience mixed with proven commercial, finance, business and communication skills. It is rare to find such a mix of all aspects of business in one person and this skill-set along with his focus and drive has delivered numerous successes.

Interest

Richard is married with 4 children and consequently most of his focus outside of work is with the family.

His interests, when time permits, include photography and music production.

Portfolio

In Sept 2006, Richard delivered a successful pitch on the BBC TV show "Dragon's Den" receiving a £200k investment for 25% equity. This was the highest company valuation on the show.

Development Experience

20 years of C/C++ development within a real-time embedded and Windows environment.
20 years of assembly language on microprocessors from Z80 through to RISC processors.
10 years of Visual BASIC and .NET development
10 years of Bluetooth product design and development
10 years of digital hardware design
Comms : Bluetooth, all GSM/GPRS protocols, MPEG-2, Modem protocols, TCP/IP

Company Acquisition

In May 2007, Brulines Plc acquired a 66% stake in Coin Metrics Ltd. Seeking to invest in the business and launch the product into the pub-based gaming market.

References

References

Mark Foster

Richard was a founder member of Coin Metrics Ltd, a business which Brulines Group plc acquired in May 2007.

Since then, Richard has been part of a team that has worked to integrate the business and build upon the commercial platform already established that can take the commercial offering to a wider market place, set against a very tough trading environment back drop. Throughout this process, Richard has been professional, embraced the cultural changes needed and helped bring the business to where it is today, ready for the next stages in its evolution. Richard has a good technical background capable of interface at all levels in a commercial environment.

Richard has now decided his future lies elsewhere with new challenges. He leaves with our best wishes and we are sure he will be successful in supporting any future employer.